Secondhand smoke is defined as the smoke which is exhaled by the smoker plus the smoke created by the smouldering of a lit cigarette. Secondhand smoke is full of toxins, and is dangerous to anyone who breathes it in.

According to the U.S. Surgeon General's Report: The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke issued today by U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona, upwards of 126 million nonsmokers are exposed to the dangers that secondhand smoke presents.

The poisons and carcinogens in ETS are responsible for a whole host of smoking-related illnesses and deaths, worldwide. The report concludes that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. The only way to avoid the risks is to avoid breathing it in...period.

The good news is that the risk to nonsmokers from secondhand smoke is controllable, and the report's strong recommendation is to limit smoking to outdoor places only. Smoking in a separate room in the house or at work isn't enough. The toxic smoke taints indoor air and still puts occupants at risk.

Study Findings:

• Nonsmokers who are exposed to tobacco smoke at home or at work have a 25 - 30 percent greater risk for heart disease and 20 - 30 percent greater risk for lung cancer.
• Even brief exposure to secondhand smoke for those at high risk for heart disease is dangerous. Carmona recommends never smoking around sick relatives.

"The debate is over." Carmona says, "The science is clear. Secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance but a serious health hazard."

Secondhand Smoke:

• Secondhand Smoke Facts
• How Secondhand Smoke Affects a Child
• Pesticides in Cigarette Smoke
• How Smoking Harms Us - From Head to Toe

Photo by Jeremy Henderson